The basic goals of the Family Nurse Practitioner Program are to train family nurse practitioners and to evaluate the family nurse practitioner role in a variety of practice settings within the State of North Carolina. Thus, the Progress Report and future plans for the next project year are organized into two components: (1) collection of baseline data at admission to the training program, assessment of student progress during the formal training phase and the preceptorship period; and (2) the study of family nurse practitioner role development following completion of the training program. Baseline biographical data, data on personality and values, and data on problem solving skills are being collected on each class of students. In addition, student progress and response to experiences during the training program and preceptorship period are being monitored in order to develop a data base for a longitudinal analysis of role development and to provide information which can be useful in further refinement of the training program. Evaluation of family nurse practitioners in the practice setting (after completion of the training program) is focused on studying association between activities of family nurse practititioners, with particular emphasis on autonomy in decision-making, and characteristics of the practice settings in which they are employed.